HAMILTON COUNTY, Ohio — There's less than two months to go until Election Day and election offices across the state of Ohio are preparing for voter's ballot and safety.


What You Need To Know

  • The director at the Hamilton County Board of Elections Office has a plan for extra security and training for this election 

  • The director says her team is already processing more than 40,000 applications for voters who want to vote by mail 

  • Poll workers are still needed to help with the increase amount of voters expected

Just outside the Hamilton County Board of Elections office, the work has just begun.

“I take the forms to church with me every Sunday,” said church volunteer Elaine Patterson. 

Patterson has been dropping off voter registration forms.

“I’m just bringing registrations up for people that’s handicap and not able to come,” said Patterson. 

On the inside of the board office, workers are already processing thousands of applications, about 40,000 so far, for voters who want to vote by mail.

At the same time, the board’s director, Sherry Poland, is working behind the scenes to make sure everyone, from the voter to the workers, is safe during this election.

“We do have extra law enforcement that will be on site, for example, here at the board of elections,” said Patterson. 

On top of extra security, she said, they’re planning extra trainings for poll workers on how to de-escalate issues.

“Sometimes people just want to vent. If they had a bad experience, they just want to vent. Sometimes it might be escalating the situation up to a supervisor,” said Patterson. 

She said there have not been any serious threats here, and despite political threats happening across the country, she said she feels good about their procedures in place.

“We’ve had vulnerability assessments done. We’re shoring up any areas where we may have been vulnerable. So we think we’re in really good shape coming into this election cycle as far as security,” said Poland. 

This voter said she’s ready too, ready to cast her ballot and help anyone to do the same.

“The early voting, whichever way you choose, but vote, we need it. Truly, we need it,” said Patterson. 

The last day to register to vote is Oct. 7.